Different Walk of Life
by NonyaBusiness
Summary: Pema goes to bed one night wondering what it would be like if she never married Tenzin and then she finds out. As she goes through her new life she begins to miss the old one. With certain problems damaging her she has to run to someone, but the question is who? The one part of her old life or the one part of her new one? Rated T for reasons listed in the warning inside. R&R please
1. Chapter 1

"Okay, so I thought of this after I watched Legend of Korra and read a few fanfictions and wondered what it would be like if Pema never married Tenzin? Then out came this... story baby."

"Now, Nonya, isn't there something you need to say?" Tenzin asks.

I jump. "Oh! Um... sorry for making this story?"

Tenzin chuckles. "Yeah... that's it. No, do you have to say the disclaimer or should I?"

"Um..." I tap my chin and then point at him. "You."

"Alright," he says before turning to the readers. "Nonya owns nothing in this story but the plot and any... really Nonya? You want me to say that?"

I look at the paper and then nod. "Yeah."

"Ugh... and any assholes, bitches, and... Okay this is supposed to be kid friendly!"

"Well," I shrug with a smile, "I'm just warning te readers that there's going to be a lot of stuff on here... now go ahead and keep going."

"... Whores and other OCs in this story," Tenzin finishes. "Please read, enjoy, and review."

Warning: Slightly suggestive themes, cursing (mainly in disclaimer, but also in future chapters), mention of/implied rape, love triangles... That should be it.

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**Prologue:**

**Wonder**

Pema walked out of the bathroom with her ruby red nightgown, glad that the house was quiet for once. Her husband was working on paperwork while he sat under the covers. She sighed and got under the covers with her beloved husband.

"You need to stop working so much," she sighed. "You're getting stressed."

"I have you that I'm perfectly fine," he declared.

She raised an eyebrow. "Mhm. Put the paperwork away and let's go to sleep."

He observed her for a minute before gathering his paperwork and setting them in the drawer on his bedside table and locking it so their mischievous children wouldn't get to it before Pema cuddled up to him, head resting on his muscled chest and while his arms wrapped around her and his cheek ended up on the top of her head. They laid there like that for a while and as Pema laid there content she wondered what it would be like if she never made her move with Tenzin. She closed her eyes and fell asleep there.

**Chapter 1:**

**Confused**

Pema woke up and found herself in a place that she'd never been before. She looked down at herself and found that she wasn't in the nightgown she fell asleep in, but was instead in in a blue nightgown with yellow sunflowers on it. She frowned at how tacky it was and wondered what happened. She looked through the dresser and found clothes that she would wear if she didn't live in the air temple. She looked outside and didn't see the usual water that surrounded the temple, or the sky bison, she was in an apartment in the city. Panic rose in Pema and she turned around to see a spirit.

"_Your curiosity shall be satisfied. This is your life now, your life without Tenzin_," she said before vanishing. "_I will be helping you as you go along._"

Pema blinked. Her life without Tenzin. She wondered what it was like. She changed into a black and white dress with dark blue leggings before she walked out of the room and saw a strange man sleeping on the couch, alcohol smell making Pema queasy as she observed him. He had long dark brown hair with blue eyes and wore blue clothes while a brown hat with blue rimming sat on the side. Water Tribe, she thought, and wondered what was going on.

"_This is your husband,_" the spirit informed, invisible to the brunette. "_He is the head of the Triple Threat Triads and his name is Viper and you are happily married and constantly trying to convince him to stay out of trouble.._"

Pema's eyes widened. "What?"

She had gone from wife of a councilman working to stop these people to being married to one of the worst criminal in Republic City. She couldn't understand it, not yet, and why should she? It was a shock, she was just asleep with her husband a few hours.

"_Keep your voice down, he is easily awoken and he mustn't hear you speaking to thin air. Here is your routine for the weekends since today is Sunday: you clean up the living room, make breakfast, and then clean up, then you go to your friend, Ming's, house around the corner and then go home at around three to shop for the dinner you make for Viper and you call him Vip usually, but when startled or angry you call him Viperalis, his real_ name."

"Is there anything else I should know?" Pema asked quietly.

"_One of his own is assigned to protect you, his name is Lee. For now you're giving him the silent treatment for almost getting caught yesterday when he was getting money from a shopkeeper. This is all that i can tell you at the moment, for now get to work._"

Pema nodded and and went to work. As soon as the breakfast was being made and she was immersed in finishing the breakfast she felt arms wrap around her waist and a chin rest on her shoulder, making her jump and she turned to Viper, who's blue eyes gazed at her lovingly.

"You shouldn't scare me like that Viperalis," Pema complained, lightly batting at his chest and finding it muscular before remembering that she was supposed to be mad at him and turned away from him with a huff.

"Come on Pema, I said I was sorry," he murmured into her neck, tightening his grip slightly as she tried to move away. "I promise to be more careful."

She felt sorry for him, but knew how stubborn she could be when she was mad at Tenzin so tried to act like it was him.

"How about this, if I take you out to dinner tonight will you speak to me?" he begged.

"I don't know... maybe," Pema answered before she finished dinner and put them on the table and went back to the counter to get chopsticks.

Viper turned her around and picked her up and set her on the counter, having her straddle him with her legs while his hands were placed flat on the counter at her sides while his lips were inches from her own. "Please?"

She had to admit, she now knew why she would've fell for him as she stared into his light blue eyes and became hypnotized, sighing, "Yes."

"I love you," he murmured as his lips brushed hers.

"I love you too," she replied before his lips pressed against hers in a surprisingly gentle way.

Her hands went to entangle in his hair, not to rub against skin to go to entangle in the beard like she usually did. Suddenly memories that were and were not hers flew by of her and Viper's relationship and she learned how she fell in love with him: she was being roughed up by one of his members and he saved her. After that it was rough, but they managed all the same. She understood that she loved him, but she loved Tenzin and missed him with all of her heart.

He pulled away and gazed into her eyes. "You're beautiful."

She blushed and pecked a kiss on his lips. "You're not too bad looking yourself."

With that said he helped her off of the counter and they sat down at the table and ate breakfast quietly before he got up and went into the shower. She cleaned up and then got ready herself, not even bothering with washing up since she got the feeling that she did the night before. She walked out and Viper stood there in his usual outfit ready for work. She almost frowned when she saw this, not wanting him to die. Unlike in her world, where she was married to Tenzin, he wasn't an ass, he was sweet and loving.

"Are you ready to leave?" he asked, taking her hand and interlocking their fingers. She nodded mutely. "Good. Lee'll be at Ming's when we get there."

Pema didn't know anything about Lee, but she knew she didn't like him, but she didn't give it away. They walked to Ming's and then he left Pema at Ming's before he went to do business as usual. Upon entrance she saw a brunette with short hair and golden eyes and pale skin wearing Fire Nation clothing while there was a male with black hair and green eyes with Earth Kingdom clothes on and his eyes raked her body quickly before landing on her face.

"Hey Pema, have you finally forgiven Viper?" Ming asked as she hugged her friend.

"Yes," said woman sighed, knowing that this was how she was supposed to behave as she collapsed gracefully into what looked to be her seat. "He finally convinced me this morning when I got done with breakfast."

Lee chuckled. "You never last long."

The green eyed woman couldn't help but think that he meant it in more ways than one. "Oh, shut up."

After she was done visiting Lee followed her shopping since Ming had to do something for her husband. She finished her shopping earlier than expected and put the groceries up and started to choose what she was going to have for dinner when calloused fingers brushed her shoulders and she felt a chill go up and down her spine before she whirled around and faced Lee, his eyes clouded with lust, something she didn't want to see.

"W-what're you doing?" Pema demanded.

Lee roughly grabbed her shoulders and then covered her mouth. "Do we always have to go through this? Stay quiet and you don't get hurt."

Pema sobbed and was roughly pushed onto the couch. She didn't know life would be like this, she thought it wouldn't be bad, but she was oh so wrong. Her emerald eyes teared up and her she wanted nothing more than to go back to her old life, the one with Tenzin where she had three rambunctious airbending children and a baby that was only about to turn one in a few months. She wanted to call for someone, anyone: her Tenzin or her Viper, just someone...


	2. Chapter 2

"Here we go! How many people hate Lee?" I ask to see many hands raised. "Okay then. Now I want VOTES on who Pema ends up with: Tenzin or Viper? You don't have to decide now, but you do in a few chapters. Anyway, Korra, please say the disclaimer."

Korra walks in to hear cheers and smiles and waves. "Hey guys! I came to say that Nonya owns nothing but the plot and OC characters: Lee and Ming (since Viper is actually a character, look him up on avatar. wikia wiki / Viper [just take out the spaces])."

"Thank you! Please Read-"

"Enjoy-"

We grin and say together, "And Review!"

Warning: Slightly suggestive themes, cursing (mainly in disclaimer, but also in future chapters), mention of/implied rape, love triangles... That should be it.

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**Chapter 2:**

**Monday**

Pema's torture ended and she cleaned herself as best as she could before Viper returned home, her mind numb and her body in pain. She never hated anyone as much as she hated Lee, she realized, and she was sure she never would. She walked into the living room and saw that everything was the way it should've been and Lee was on the couch watched a mover. She knew she would have to act normal or bad things would happen, but she didn't want to go trough this, she just wanted something good to happen as she made lunch.

She heard the door open and Viper's voice calling before he was in the doorway. She loved the way his hair flopped into his eyes without the hat to hold it back, she realized. "Hey Pema."

"Viper," she said with a smile, relaxing at his presence and hugging him. "How was work? Did you almost get caught?"

"No, hun, I was careful," he promised as he kissed her quickly. "Did you enjoy your day?"

She nodded, not even looking at the monster sitting on the couch.

"Can I sleep in the bed again?"

She smiled. "Yes."

Lee left and she fell asleep on her new husband's toned chest feeling safe, wondering what she did for a job.

-The Next day-

Usually the light of dawn would awaken Pema, but this time it was the spirit. She was too comfortable where she was to say anything and raised her eyebrows questioningly so as not to wake the husband of this life and have him think that she was a lunatic who talked to nothing but air.

"_You must leave. You are an assistant to the council so as to get information for your husband. You got it a few years after you married him and you've been working there for about five years now. You organize files and make sure that everything that your councilman needs is done._"

Pema really wanted to ask who, but she simply did as she was told and got dressed quickly in clothes that looked professional enough to work for a councilman, whoever that might be. Her mind was spinning as she quickly made herself and her husband breakfast and left when the spirit ordered her to, before her husband woke up. She wanted nothing more than to make sure that this life would get better or she return home, either way she was more willing to do this little act of normalcy since she was an assistant in her previous life.

Once she reached there the spirit led her through to her desk and she sat down and got to work. Soon the door opened and she heard a familiar deep voice, "Hello Pema, on time as always I see."

She whirled around and saw the bald airbender, his face as handsome as always and his beard about an inch shorter than it would usually be most likely because he trimmed it recently.

"Good morning," she said politely, trying to keep from jumping into his arms and kissing him. "How was your weekend?"

"It was rather good. Lin and I went out to dinner last night while Korra watched the children. We finally got some alone time with each other," he smiled, sighing with relief. "And how was yours?"

"Nothing unusual, just the same as always," she shrugged, unable to tell him that she magically woke up married to a gangster when she was supposed to be married to him with children instead of Lin. Obviously she couldn't tell him that. "Is there anything you need me to do?"

"No, no," he assured. "Just keep doing what you're doing."

She went back to work as her husband walked away, not even knowing that she was his wife, his original wife. She wanted more than anything to tell him the truth, to keep the promise that they kept on their wedding night: to never tell a lie, but he wouldn't remember that would he? With a heavy sigh she cast these thoughts out and continued to work. At the end of the day she clocked out and as soon as she walked out she saw Tenzin giving Lin a kiss. Her heart shattered into a million pieces and she quickly left, going home and finding her husband not there, but instead Lee. She froze as soon as the door closed and she could feel the air leaving her lungs.

"You're late," he drawled, standing to his full height and sauntering over to her.

"W-work piled up and I wanted to get it done before I came home," she stuttered, hating that sign of weakness.

"Then you'll be punished for your tardiness," he growled, yanking her to press against him.

"Please," she whimpered.

"Quiet!" he barked, ceasing her weak whimpers as he pressed his lips to hers.

_Come home, Viper!_ she silently begged, but knew he wasn't going to be home for hours and she knew that Lee planned it to be that way... he always planned for it to be that way because he was a careful man, and she hated him for that. She hated that Lee was a criminal for her husband's gang, that he chose to pick on her, that he even did any of this. Most of all she hated that she wished for this... to know what it was like if she hadn't married Tenzin, a man who no longer remembers her.

-This... is a... line!-

Her body was sore and she washed up, making sure she was presentable before her husband came home. She didn't know why she went through with Lee's orders, but she knew she didn't like the thought of her death or Vipers, or anyone else's for that matter. She have out a short laugh without humor, knowing she received her answer. She shook her head and went into her bedroom and curled in a ball and drifted off, knowing that she would be unable to do anything because of how exhausted she was.

After a while the door creaked open. "Honey?" Viper asked into the room.

She didn't move, and she didn't have to because he was soon in the bed, hugging her from behind. She could feel that he was fully clothed and that he barely bothered to take off his shoes. He kissed her cheek and hummed something that seemed to calm her... a lullaby. She moved closer to him with a sigh and he grabbed her petite hand in his larger one.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you too," she breathed.

"I got you something while I was out... and I made it myself," he murmured before pulling one hand away and then bringing it back to lay it in front of her face. "You can open it any time you want."

She was suddenly curious. "I think I'll open it now," she said, rising to sitting position and he followed, sitting up. She opened it to see a ring made of silver with the words 'Pema, you are my world, and I love you, Viper' engraved in it. She smiled and put it on before kissing her husband. "I love it so much. I love you."

"I love you too," he murmured against her lips and he caressed her face with his right hand while she held his face with both of her delicate hands. "I suppose we should go to sleep. After all, we have work in the morning."

She nods and curls against him, the both of them fully clothed and above the covers, but neither care as they drift off.


End file.
